


Marsh and Ivy

by ObsessedtwibrarianOTB



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Flash Fic, Humor, Personification, Romance, pine tree, porch swing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 17:17:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14383317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObsessedtwibrarianOTB/pseuds/ObsessedtwibrarianOTB
Summary: Wouldn't it be wonderful to be fresh and new again? To be young, and do it all over again?





	Marsh and Ivy

Marsh was soaking up the sun in his favorite spot near the porch. He stretched, loosening the stiffness in his limbs. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”  

“It certainly is, thank goodness,” Ivy said as she swung back and forth. “I thought spring was never going to get here!” 

“I know,” he agreed. “Snow one day, sun the next. Snow the next day, sun the next. I was beginning to think Mother Nature needed some counseling, ‘cause she done gone crazy!” 

Ivy shot him a mischievous look. “She’s not crazy. She’s just going through the _change_. It tends to make a person temperamental, you know.” 

He frowned. “What change you talking about??” 

Ivy delivered her punch line with that high-pitched squeaky laugh he loved so much. “CLIMATE CHANGE, SILLY!” 

Marsh shook all over. Ivy always told the best jokes. 

A gentle breeze traveled across the porch, ruffling the bare Wisteria vines hanging from the eaves. The Johnny Jump Ups bobbed their purple and yellow heads in greeting as the wind passed them by. 

“I really love this time of the year,” she said. “It makes me wish I wasn’t so old and worn down.” A wistful sigh. “Oh, to be fresh and new again. Wouldn’t that be wonderful, Marsh? To be young, and do it all over again?” 

He sputtered. “What are you going on about, Ivy? You’re the most beautiful gal in these parts. Always have been, always will be.” 

Ivy rolled her eyes. “You need glasses, honey.” 

Marsh didn’t need glasses; he could see just fine. Ivy truly was the most beautiful thing in his world. She was a little weathered around the edges, but so was he. That was part of life, after all. If you got through it without getting a little shabby, then you weren’t doing it right. She wasn’t a bit like him either, which was just fine, too. Opposites attract. Isn’t that what they always said?  He was stiff-necked and serious most of the time. She was always in motion, laughing and joking. They were the perfect couple in his mind. He just wished… 

“You look sad,” she said. 

He sighed. “My feet feel a bit itchy, that’s all. You know how I am. This time of year makes me want to pick up roots with you and go traveling. Think of all the new things we could see!” 

Ivy smiled to hide her sadness. She knew all about his restless streak, his yearning to experience what lay beyond the horizon. It hurt her to know that his dream of their seeing the world together would never come to fruition. Sadly, some things in this life just weren’t meant to be. 

“Do you think they’ll visit this weekend?” he asked, ever hopeful. 

Ivy’s smile was genuine this time. “I really hope so. I’ve missed them so much. Those precious little faces, their delightful laughter. And their stories are always so interesting.” 

Just the thought of them helped him shake off the sadness of before. He suddenly felt like teasing Ivy. “Oh, I don’t know. I kind of like it when they _kiss._ ” He winked. 

She giggled. The heat she felt had nothing to do with the sun. “Marsh! You are so naughty!” 

After their laughter floated away with the gentle breeze, they fell into companionable silence, just soaking up the warmth of a spring day and watching their small piece of the world turn its newborn face to the sun. 

From somewhere far off in the house a door slammed. 

Ivy squeaked another one of her delightful laughs. “They’re here!!” 

Marsh trembled in anticipation. They both held their breath, waiting. 

A big bundle of exuberance burst through the back door and onto the porch. “Mommy, look at Mosh! He’s gwown so big!” 

Marsh felt the clutch of tiny hands on his body and smiled. His precious little acorn was finally here. Oh, how he loved the cute way she said his name. 

Ivy squeaked louder than ever when her favorite little bundle of energy bounded across the porch and leaped onto her. 

“Ivy!!” the little boy squealed. “Wanna go high?” 

Ivy swung back and forth with more energy than she’d had all winter, which made Marsh grin with joy. She loved going high. 

“Children! Calm down!” their mother scolded, but still laughing at their antics. They all loved their summer home and had missed it terribly.  It had been a very harsh winter this year. 

Her husband finally made it onto the porch. Amid all the squealing laughter, he frowned. “That pine has gotten really big, hon. Maybe it’s finally time to cut it down.” 

Marsh grew stiff, listening. The tiny hands on his body disappeared. His little acorn was off mounting a tearful defense on his behalf. 

“You can’t kill Mosh, Daddy! He was our Chwistmus twee!” 

 _From her lips to Mother Nature’s ear_ , Marsh thought. Despite going high, Ivy was suddenly quiet, too. 

“Don’t cry, honey. I won’t cut down the tree. But maybe we’ll give him a bit of a trim, like when we cut your hair. Is that okay?” 

His little savior with the autumn leaf braids nodded and dried her tears. 

“Darling, look at the porch swing, though. The paint’s peeling. Maybe we should buy one of those poly resin swings I saw at the hardware store. They last forever and never need any maintenance.” 

Ivy’s bundle of hyperactivity suddenly looked horrified and forgot about going high. “I don’t want a new swing! I like Ivy just the way she is!” 

She looked at her husband, shrugged and sighed. “Okay, sweetie. Maybe a new coat of paint then.” 

Marsh and Ivy looked at each other and smiled.  He was getting a much-needed trim—some of his lower limbs were way past their expiration date—and Ivy was getting a whole new makeover, just like she’d always wanted! 

For a pine tree named Marsh and a lively porch swing named Ivy, life couldn’t get any better.

 


End file.
